I haven't posted in over a year I think but I've come across a dilemma I hope some of you could help me with. I've got a mixture of 3c/4a hair that is all natural now. The front of my hair is acting outrageous, not necessarily the canopy but just the front inch or so near my forehead (between the outer edges of my eyebrows and 1.5 inches back). It has some definition issues that I don't entirely understand. When I brush any other section of my hair it clumps just beautifully, shrinks up, and stays happy...
when I try to do it to the front section it just goes limp and falls apart, no definition whatsoever (This is with TONS of conditioner in it).

I've thought of several possibilities such as over-conditioning because I do tend to load it up in that area (and the hair is spaced far apart, the strands don't join together)
Lack of definition due to that being the area where my plopping t-shirt is pressed against and the top few inches of this section has nice curl definition while the bottom doesn't (I work in a laboratory though so I can't have my hair wet at work)
Or lack of protein since these curls tend to look nicer when I use a protein conditioner such as Vo5 moisture milks (I never brush my hair when using this conditioner though because it is so thin.)

Because this section reacts so strangely to brushing I don't brush my hair as a general rule, just finger comb it but I'd like to give the conditioner only method a try since the REST of my hair likes to be brushed.

I was having a issue like yours a while ago and I so I started to do weekly protein treatments with curl junkie repair me followed but a moisturizing deep conditioner and now I have no issues. My issue was in the back of my head were my 3c hangs out. It was not curling for anything. It was just hanging limp and sad. I realized after doing that I need a trim but it was nothing really serious because I hadn't trimmed in a while. Now my hair is super happy and I have noticed my 3c section is a lot bigger than I thought it was before.

Niquella, I checked out the link you posted and I'm not sure if that's the issue but I'll give it a try it with tae's suggestion of protein

NoodleNaps, you may be right that it is just a different curl pattern but I just want to be sure that it's healthy as well

Tae082, I did just recently get a trim but my hairdresser is helping me grow out my layers so she didn't take off much from that section. That may be apart of it too considering that the top few inches of this section curl nicely after I finish styling, they may just be frizzing up with the not so nice hair on the bottom while brushing.

I'll give all the suggestions a try and let you know how they turn out. Wish me luck ladies and thanks again for your input!